5 Types Of Irish Music For St. Patrick’s Day

Learn About Irish Music Before Your Next Party

When March 17th rolls around, St. Patrick’s Day partygoers will pull out their traditional Irish music to capture the spirit with nostalgic songs about Derry, Dublin and Danny Boy. As bagpipes play and singers shed tears, many other types of Irish music sits on the sidelines waiting to get picked. In his book, A History of Irish Music, William H. Grattan Flood writes, “No enemy speaks slightingly of Irish music, and no friend needs fear to boast of it.” So what is the story behind Irish music? Learn about five types of Irish music you can play at your next St. Patrick's Day party or anytime the spirit moves you!

1. Traditional Irish MusicThere seems to be much debate over what constitutes “traditional” Irish music. Some claim only certain instruments can be used while others feel it is more about the tradition of the song itself. Whatever the case, there are two types of traditional Irish music that all can agree on: song and dance.

Since the oldest musical instrument is the human voice, it is understandable that early Irish songs were sung a capella. You can still hear this today when a room gets quiet and a glass is lifted to reveal a singer or duet sharing a verse about the “Irish Rover.” It is hard to determine exactly when some songs came about since they were passed on through oral tradition and sung mostly in Irish, but the tradition seems to be more about enjoying the songs with friends and drinks.

To truly understand traditional Irish music, one must look at its history.

During the years of the famine (1845-1850), one full quarter of the Irish population had perished and half had emigrated. Being transplanted to another part of the world, many Irish began to look back to their roots for unity, especially when it came to music. In places like New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Boston, social interaction had changed from homes and churches to corner pubs. After a long day of work, musicians would meet up and exchange songs over a pint. According to the Irish music club MurphyRoche.com, “The mixing of people from different areas of Ireland contributed to a reduction in regional differences, and led to a few well-established playing styles. Each region contributed its tunes to the formation of the large repertoire that we enjoy today.”

When it comes to finding some traditional Irish music, most would agree that pipes, fiddles and bodhrans (Irish drums) make the cut. Though they were introduced later, they have become a staple of what we now know to be “traditional” Irish music. The all-star of the traditional music world still seems to be the voice that sings about Ireland or the Irish culture, but other instruments like the accordion, flute and guitar have also become popular. Groups like Altan, The Chieftans and Lunasa provide traditional Irish tunes and some of the most popular session songs are “Danny Boy,” “An Irish Lullaby,” “Rocky Road to Dublin,” “Irish Eyes are Smiling,” and “Finnegan’s Wake.”

2. Modern Irish MusicWho said that Irish music could only be old, sad and nostalgic? Many famous music groups from Ireland have blessed us with their sound, including U2, Sinead O’Connor, The Cranberries, Van Morrison, Thin Lizzy, The Corrs, Hothouse Flowers, My Bloody Valentine, The Wolfe Tones, and The Pogues. One hit wonder Dexty’s Midnight Run had the famous 80s hit "Come on Eileen" that still played in many a modern pub to get the crowd going. On the circuit of today’s hottest music, don’t forget to include all-time favorites like Snow Patrol, The Thrills and Damien Rice.

3. Irish Harp MusicFrancis Bacon once said that “no harp hath the sound so melting as the Irish harp.” Irish harp music dates back to the 10th century Irish court, when the harp was strung with wires of brass and plucked with long fingernails. It was the centerpiece of royal Irish music until it was eliminated by the British, surviving only as the dance music of the poor. Irish harp music, therefore, is considered the ancestor of Irish traditional music.

One of the biggest contributors to this form of Irish music was the blind harpist Turlough O’Carolan. The wandering harper lived from 1670-1738 and composed hundreds of tunes. Though none were written down in his lifetime, it is believed that approximately 200 of his tunes survived.

The revival of harp music continues today with replicas of the old instruments once played. You can find modern renditions from Derek Bell, Laoise Kelly of the Bumblebees, Patrick Ball, and Antoinette McKenna to name only a few. Since the harp is still one of the most prominent symbols of Ireland and is featured on everything from Guinness to the Irish Euro, it makes the list of notable Irish music.

4. Celtic MusicIs there a difference between Celtic music and Irish music? Yes and no. Celtic (pronounced "kel-tic") originally referred to a group of people who settled in Ireland, Scotland, Britain and surrounding areas. Celtic music in this sense is not specifically Irish, but is considered easy-listening, mood music that has an enchanting and relaxing feel. Celtic music is thought by many to have more of an Irish sound than anything else. In fact, the term “Celtic” was sometimes used in place of Irish. According to StandingStones.com, Celtic music was “increasingly used in Britain and the US to denote ‘Irish’, this suggesting discomfort with ‘Irishness’.”

Traditional music created in Ireland is considered "Irish music," but since the background of the people stems from Celtic origins, it is sometimes loosely referred to as "Celtic music." Therefore, Irish music can be Celtic, but Celtic music isn't always necessarily Irish. Confused yet? Here's more: Some consider Enya to be modern Celtic music with a haunting Irish sound.

5. The Irish JigIrish dance music usually means jigs and reels, but since jigs appeared a little later, they get a separate category. Unlike most reels, jigs were in fact native to Ireland.

Some think the jig is just a dance, but it is also a type of traditional Irish dance music. The Double Jig (6/8 time) is the most common, but there is also the Slip Jig and the Slide Jig. Accordion music is common with this type of dancing, but so are drums. Other traditional dance tunes like the jig include hornpipes, polkas and highlands. Jigs were once used to spark the level of festivity at Irish weddings and other celebrations, but they don’t miss this modern lineup of Irish music choices.

Whether it is St. Patrick’s Day, an Irish wedding or your old Uncle Mick’s birthday party, Irish music will probably be requested. Make sure you are prepared by brushing up on your traditional Irish tunes, jigs and songs. Be the hit of any event by supplying song sheets with lyrics or cd’s with a variety of Irish music for partygoers to take home and play again. Though St. Patrick’s Day will eventually come to an end, the haunting sound of Irish music is not soon to be forgotten.

Rate Your St. Patrick's Day IQ!You know it's that time of year again when the green clovers start showing up in shop windows and McDonald's reintroduces the Shamrock Shake. But before you pull out that "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" pin and other St. Patrick's Day decorations, take this quiz to find out how much you really know about the celebration of St. Patrick's Day!